How to Make a Family Fire Plan

As much as we all hate to think about it, you're home could catch on fire with your family inside. Here's out to make a plan, so that your family will be prepared to escape safely.

Two Exits ~
A large number of fires began during the night when you're family is sleeping. Because of this, it's important that each of your sleeping areas have an exit and alternative exit. Typically this means a door and a window. If a hallway outside your room is not on fire, you will be able to leave through the door. But if a fire is blocking your door, the window is usually your only other alternative. You should never allow any family member to sleep in a room that doesn't have at least two exits.

Escape Ladders ~
If part of your family fire plan involves using a window as a possible exit, you need to consider how high off the ground a person coming out of that window will be. First floor windows may have a drop of only three or four feet, a distance that an adult and even most children could jump or fall without serious injury. If you're using windows on the second story or higher as a possible escape, you'll need to consider installing fire escape ladders.

There are two main kinds of fire escape ladders. The first is permanently attached to your home, similar to the ladder that you use to climb into an upper bunk bed. It is attached to the outside of your home, and in the event of a fire, you open the window and step out onto it. The other alternative is a collapsible ladder. These are stored in your room, and in an event of a fire you open a window, attach the top of the ladder to the window sill, and toss a soft collapsible coil of ladder out the window.

As the coil drops, it unfolds into a wire or rope ladder. If you use one of these collapsible fire escape ladders, make sure it is placed somewhere conveniently in a room that people will think to look for in a fire. Putting it on top shelf of the closet behind all those other things that you don't use often is going to be very inconvenient when you need it quickly in an emergency.

Make Maps ~
Make sure that everyone in your home understands where they should go in an event of a fire and how to get there. For adults or older children, a map drawing of your home with arrows pointing to the different exits and paths out of the home will suffice. For small children, who may not remember these emergency rules, you can place florescent tape along your floorboards.

Train your children to follow the tape line from their room all the way out each of their two exits. Even fairly young children can be taught the difference between primary exits and secondary exits. Simply make the first tape line in their favorite color and the second choice exit in a different color.

Choose a Meeting Place ~
In order to be sure that everyone from your home has escaped safely, you'll need to get together outside, so that you can count heads. It is important that you come to the same place. Choose a place unique for your family that everyone can remember. In my family, we used our mailbox. It was far enough from the house that we wouldn't be injured if a burning timber fell from the house. And it was very visible. We could see each other right away, and the neighbors could see us. It was easy for us to count heads right away and make sure that no one is missing.

Practice ~
In order to be sure that everyone in your family is prepared to escape safely during an emergency, you need to practice your family fire plan in advance. Have everyone in the family go to their normal sleeping areas. Then sound a pretend alarm, (such as an alarm clock or a kitchen timer) to tell people that the drill is starting. Time your family to see how long it takes everyone to go from their sleeping areas to the family meeting place outside. Keep practicing the drill, until everyone in the family is comfortable with the paths they need to take to get out safely.

Monthly Drills ~
In order to keep your family fire plan fresh in your mind, it is important to re-drill occasionally. Choose one day each month to be your Fire Drill Day. Practice both of your escape routes. Monthly practice will help ensure you remember what to do when a real emergency happens.

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